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Warships May Get Lasers For Close-In Defense
King Louie writes "Raytheon and the US Navy have successfully tested a ship-borne laser capable of shooting down aircraft. Video at the link shows the 32-kilowatt solid-state laser shooting down an unmanned aerial vehicle. The technology is apparently mature enough to be deployed as part of ships' short-range missile defenses, a role currently filled by the Basic Point Defense Missile System (based on the Sea Sparrow missile) and the Close-In Weapons System (based on a 20mm Gatling gun)."
Is it shark-mountable?
The best part is the Siemens Wind Energy Advertisment before the video. Apparently a with a few Windmills and a laser. Pew, Pew, Pew, we can finally have a green war!
>> And what if it's a cloudy day?
Crank up Dark Side of the Moon and spark one?
Fricken ships! With Frickin laser beams!
Pointing lasers at aircraft might get the navy arrested.
Man the laser-harpoons!
Yes, it's all fun and games until the enemy brings out... gasp! ... Mirrors!
Hanlon's corollary, part 2:
Never ascribed to stupidity that which is adequately explained by kdawson.
you forgot less kickback when fired...at least that's what happens in goldeneye 007 for N64 when i got the moonraker laser.
the shark will still bite you though but nice try
well, the unemployed, veterans and the ill could build, man and be targets for these devices if they had even the slightest motivation to be useful.
Paying taxes to buy civilization is like paying a hooker to buy love.
Can it make popcorn?
I see a great need for a UAV-mounted Jiffy Pop module.
It is a moral imperative.
#naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
Red lasers on one side, blue lasers on the other. I keep forgetting which is which...
It's red lasers on the port side, green lasers on the starboard side showing from dead ahead to 2 points abaft of the beam. I thought everyone knew that.
This ain't rocket surgery.
Having success against targeting drone is one thing, but up against the living?
If only we could fall into a woman's arms without falling into her hands
Nimby. Nobody wants to park a Nimitz carrier in their backyard.
And what if it's a cloudy day?
Then they use different weapons?
Did you think they were going to scrap all existing weapons and replace them with this thing?
But, the REAL question is, am I immature enough to deploy the technology as part of my cubicle's short range coworker defenses?
Why yes, yes I am.
It'd also be useless if the USSR reformed and launched a sneak attack in league with the martians, which is an equally relevant scenario in the current geopolitical climate and the scenarios for which this system is intended.
No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?